Deportes Tolima are back on track for a spot in the final of this
year’s Copa Mustang I, most likely against either Junior or Deportivo
Cali.
The match between Tolima and Boyaca Chico appeared to be heading for a draw that didn’t help either side, until Davinson Monsalve broke the deadlock for the home side with just two minutes left to play. Not much earlier, Chico’s Juan Mahecha had been sent off with a second yellow card.
Once Caldas were on course for the final ahead of the fifth match day, but lost the crucial home game to La Equidad, 2-3. Even the Bogota outfit now still have a chance to win the group.
In a highly entertaining match, Jorge Casanova put Caldas in the lead after 45 minutes. Diego Cochas levelled in the 73rd minute and Oscar Martinez even made it 1-2 a few minutes later. Four minutes into added time, Wilson Mena thought to have secured an important point for the hosts but Victor Giraldo went on to restore La Equidad’s advantage a minute later.
With one game to go, Tolima lead with eight points. Once Caldas have seven, La Equidad six and even Chico aren’t officially out of contention yet with five points.
In Group B, where all teams had the same amount of points ahead of Wednesday’s games, Junior earned a comfortable 3-0 win over Envigado. Just as in previous games, it was Teofilo Gutierrez to lead his side to victory with three goals. The forward scored in minutes 47, 61 and 77 to earn himself a hat-trick in the most traditional sense of the word – three goals in one half without anyone else scoring in between.
Envigado’s Rafael Orrego was sent off on the hour and misses his side last group game.
In Cucuta, Deportivo Cali recorded a 0-1 win thanks to a 37th-minute goal from Pablo Batalla.
As a result, Sunday’s match between Cali and Junior should be considered a semi final as whichever side wins, gets to feature in the final. In case of a draw, Junior will face the winner of Group A. Cucuta and Envigado each have three points less than their rivals in this group and are no longer in the battle for a spot in the final.